I enter the house in a frenzy and slam it shut.
"Naruto!" I blink as I'm suddenly attacked by a certain silver-haired man. He pulls me into a death grip of a bear hug.
"Kakashi, put me down!" I growl out.
He looks at me and instead of the normal stoic expression in his eyes... I see worry. I made him worry. That's not good for the heart.
"Don't go off on your own like that again! Even Iruka was worried," Kakashi states as Iruka comes rushing down the stairs. I knew I heard tacking across the top floor when my name was called.
"Naruto!" He's in visible tears as he clings to me. "We were so worried." He just hugs to me and I grit my teeth.
"Why...?"
Iruka looks up, confused as Kakashi tilts his head in confusion. Even I'm confused. I'm very confused.
"Why are you treating like you almost lost the world? I've treated you both so awfully... I don't get it," I mutter. They should be put off and reprimanding, but they're... they're actually relieved to see me. I don't understand.
"Naruto. That's what family does. Kakashi and I have looked after you since you were little. You're like a son to us. Besides, you're in a rebellious stage; it's natural for you to act out. We can't be too mad at that... we're just glad you didn't get hurt out there," Iruka smiles a sad smile.
My eyes widen and I shut them before tears can leak out. "That's not right. Why give all your free time worrying about a no good kid? Why?"
"Because we love you, Naruto. Very much. If something happened to you..." Iruka's tears fall again and Kakashi pats his back, his own tears finally falling. "You're our family and you always have been. We took you in because you were our dear friends', Kushina and Minato's, son. We loved before you were born because you were our best friends' love child. And we never stopped loving you... we only grew to love you more as Kakashi and I raised you to the best we could."
I'm pulled into a group hug as Kakashi and Iruka silently weep. I slightly open my eyes.
"Dammit..."
My own tears fall. They really do care about me... I'm so sorry!

The next day, I had to go to school. I decided I'd stop dodging it and bitching about it and actually attend. It'd make Kakashi and Iruka happy and after worrying them so much last night... I figured they deserved this much.
I walk through the halls and lean against the locker next to Shikamaru. "Sup, Shika-tan?"
"What are you, a little kid?" Shikamaru asks, with an irritated face. In Japan, "-tan" is basically the honorific "baby talk" for "-chan". I basically just equated him to a girl.
I snicker as Ino rolls her eyes. "You never give Chouji and me any honorifics."
"You guys don't deserve any, only my beautiful Shika-tan," I stick my tongue out at Ino and playfully rub my cheek against Shikamaru's, who rolls his eyes at my antics.
"You're in a chipper mood today, Naruto-san," Ino playfully tacks on the honorific.
"Well... I kinda had a moment with Iruka and Kakashi last night so I feel better," I shrug as I let go of Shikamaru.
"Moment?" Chouji pipes up.
"Let's just say there was lots of crying," I mutter and look away. I grab my books from my shared locker with Shikamaru. Since I never bothered to come to school, it was a waste of money to get a locker. I turn around and-
"Oi, Naruto. Can we talk?"
A wild Uchiha appears.
"Nope." I turn straight around and walk in the opposite direction. Nope. I'm not having this today.

After finishing my lunch, I throw away my trash and start to head towards Shikamaru's locker.
"Naruto!"
"Nope."
I walk the other way, lose myself in the crowd, and take the long way around.

When school ends, I walk to the library, find a seat, and start cracking into my books. I start studying and doing my homework. I hear the chair move in front of me and see an unpleasant face.
"Naruto, can we-"
"Nope."
I pack my things and head home.

I have to take a train to school sometimes if Kakashi and Iruka have to be early; if I don't catch them when they leave, I have to take the train home. I get off at my destination as I look at the leaves changing from green to orange and red. I love autumn because the colors are so beautiful, I love winter because of the cold, I love spring because the colors are a different beautiful, and I love summer because of school vacation.
I head toward my house and see an unfamiliar car parked outside. I raise a brow and enter the house... to see something unpleasant sitting on my couch.
"Nope." I shut the door and turn around. I think it's time I pay Shikamaru a house visit. He doesn't live far from me.
"Oi! Stop saying 'nope' and walking away!" Sasuke growls out as he exits the house, grabbing my wrist.
I yank it away and with all the hate I could muster, yell at him. "Leave me alone, you freak! I don't want anything to do with you! You don't go around kissing people willy nilly! What's wrong with you?!" I shove past him and enter my home, slamming and locking the door as I do so. I listen to make sure he doesn't try coming back in. After a moment, I hear his footsteps leave and soon... the starting up of a vehicle.
I sigh and slide down the door, hand going over my face as I clearly show my distress at the situation.
"Naruto?! What happened?" Iruka asks as he comes in from the back room where he and Kakashi probably were. Iruka's moving into our lives officially in a few months, exams are coming up, I'm dealing with a lot of emotional things, nearing doctor's appointments loom over my head, and... I can't deal with an Uchiha right now. I just can't.
"It's nothing... I'm just tired... probably from worrying about exams," I mutter.
"But you never worry about exams," Iruka raises a brow.
"Well I guess I am this time... wake me up when dinner's ready," I mutter as I head to my room. I have a really bad headache.

Fall passes by and everyone's out on Christmas break. With it being the first official day of winter, it's cold as hell outside. I walk down the street with Gaara next to me and his siblings right behind. I shudder as I rub my gloved hands and blow hot air on them.
"Hey, let's go stop at that cafe. I'm hungry and could use some warmth," I chuckle and we make our way to the cafe. I haven't seen Sasuke in a while now. I'm relieved. I mean, I see him at school, but only in passing. I think he finally got the message. As I enter the cafe, I see Granny Tsunade and Kakashi sitting down having a drink.
"Oi. What's up? Impromptu meeting?" I ask as I sit next to them, waving to Gaara and the others saying that I'll catch up in a moment.
Kakashi sighs and runs a hand over his face. "It's Sasuke."
I blink and tilt my head. "Sasuke? What about him?"
"He's failing his courses and seems distracted. He's worked so hard to get this far, but something happened a few months ago and he hasn't been able to concentrate," Tsunade states and shake her head with a frown. "And he won't tell anyone what happened."
A few months ago...? Oh! When I told him off? He really go THAT upset over it?
"He's always had trouble fitting in because of his disorder, but-" I cut Kakashi off.
"Disorder?" I ask. What disorder? The only thing disordered about him are his deranged thoughts that it's okay to kiss a straight guy.
"Yeah. He has a social disorder. It's Autism of a sort... Asperger's I think. He doesn't exactly know what's socially acceptable and what's not. Like following a teacher home is socially unacceptable, but his mind doesn't comprehend that. He has a hard time finding friends and is actually fairly awkward to talk to," Kakashi nods.
The only thing awkward was that kiss... but I guess that's explained now. Dammit, I feel terrible.
"Ah. I don't think he's too terrible to talk to. In fact, he seemed perfectly normal to me," I state, blinking.
"Naruto, that's cause you're borderline autistic with your high IQ and intellect," Tsunade points out and I frown.
"I don't think I'm borderline autistic," I stated. "I know what's socially acceptable and what's not and I can talk to people just fine."
"Yes, people you know. But you wear the same hoodie and jeans every day off from school, same sneakers and socks, even the same t-shirt sometimes... and it's not because you're lazy, you have multiple pairs of these items. You're also awkward when you first meet people, but because you do know what's socially acceptable and what's not, you're just borderline autistic," Kakashi explains.
"Thanks for telling me I'm whacked out in the head," I state and Tsunade chuckles. I blink and look down. "So... if someone... were to call him a freak for any reason... how would react?"
Tsunade thinks about it. "Probably like how he is now. He probably already feels out of place, and having that pointed out would be a blow to the kid's self-esteem."
"Wait a minute..." Kakashi looks at me with a sharp gaze.
"Ah, I think my friends are waiting for me!" I grin and dash over to Gaara and his siblings, who ordered a latte for me and a bagel. Crap. So Sasuke's hurting... because of me?
Dammit... I just can't catch a break!

I'm having too much fun writing this story.
Haha.
Oh well, I guess that's a good thing? o3o

Your author,
Nova